Mechanisms of synthesis and degradation of radical nitric oxide by mitochonderia of Arabidopsis thaliana / Mecanismos de sintese e degradação do radical oxido nitrico pela mitocondria de Arabidopsis thaliana

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2008

RESUMO

The objective of this work was to study the mechanisms of synthesis and degradation of NO by plant mitochondria, with emphasis on the influence of the NAD(P)H dehydrogenases and the alternative oxidase (AOX) in these processes. The experiments were carried out with mitochondria isolated from cells in culture of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Initially, a protocol for the isolation and purification of mitochondria was established, and their functional integrity was determined by respiratory control, electric membrane potential and electrophoretic calcium transport. The processes of synthesis and degradation of NO were analyzed by monitoring oxygen consumption and NO concentration in the reaction medium with specific electrodes. The results showed that nitrite inhibited respiration of A. thaliana mitochondria, in competition with oxygen in the medium. This inhibition was reversed by cPTIO, an NO scavenger. When AOX was inhibited by n-propylgalate, the inhibitory effect of nitrite in mitochondrial respiration was increased, whereas in the presence of myxothiazol, which prevents the reduction of cytochrome c oxidase (COX), nitrite had no effect on respirati on. The observed effects of nitrite in the oxygen consumption suggested that NO was synthes ized by A. Thaliana mitochondria through a nitrite reductase activity. Meanwhile, the synthesis of NO from nitrite was mainly detected under anaerobiosis. At high concentrations of nitrite (1-5 mM), the production of NO was virtually insensitive to inhibitors of the respiratory chain, while at lower concentrations of nitrite (100-200 ?M) COX, but not AOX, contributed for the synthesis of NO. The exposure of mitochondria to NO or nitrite caused a transient and lower inhibition in oxygen consumption when NAD(P)H was used as respiratory substrate, compared to succinate. These inhibitions were enhanced by superoxide dismutase, suggesting an NAD(P)H- and oxygendependent mechanism for NO degradation by mitochondria of A. thaliana. The overall results show that NO can be produced by A. thaliana mitochondria through a nitrite reductase activity and that NAD(P)H dehydrogenases and AOX, in addition to COX, can interfere in this production. In aerobiosis the amount of NO produced can be controlled by the degradation activities of NAD(P)H dehydrogenases and COX. The AOX has an opposite effect, keeping the concentration of NO. In anaerobiosis the nitrite reductase activity is favore d and NO is produced in these circumstances by COX, and also due the more reduced state of the respiratory chain. Additionally, in anaerobiosis, the oxygen -dependent mechanisms of NO degradation are inhibited. In conclusion, the results of this study show the importance of the alternative proteins of the mitochondrial respiratory chain for NO homeostasis in the plant

ASSUNTO(S)

plant mitochondria nitrites plantas - mitocondria reação de oxidação-redução oxido nitrico oxidation-reduction reaction nitritos nitric oxide

ACESSO AO ARTIGO

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